Udo Dirkschneider to Revisit Accept History on Solo ‘Farewell’ Tour

Though he last appeared with Accept while reuniting with the band 2005, singer Udo Dirkschneider is planning to revisit the music from his time with Accept during a special tour.

Dirkschneider, who currently fronts U.D.O., will be performing Accept songs under the Dirkschneider banner and plans to only play songs from the eras in which he was with the band. The vocalist was one of the original members when they formed in 1976 and he remained with the band until 1987. After five years away, he returned in 1992 for another five-year stint with the band that ended in 1997. A third reunion took place in 2005, but only lasted the year before the band split.

According to a Facebook post, Dirkschneider revealed his plans to play Accept music for one final time during a press conference at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

"I still love singing these songs live," said the vocalist. "The songs still are an important part of my catalog and still suit my voice very well. But at some point in your life, it's just time to close the chapter. There has been so much talk and speculation about Accept, so I just want to give my last definitive musical statement about it and give my fans a chance to see me perform a complete concert of these songs one last time onstage." After the tour, Dirkschneider says he'll return to U.D.O. and focus solely on the material he's recorded with that band over the last 18 years.

Meanwhile, Accept have kept the music going without Dirkschneider. They returned from their split with the singer in 2009, turning vocals over to Mark Tornillo. When asked about the band continuing without him, the vocalist stated, "I [went to see] a show of Accept in Hamburg [in 2014], and I was a little bit disappointed. It was without any emotion. For me, there was no band onstage. Playing-wise, it was okay, but it was without any emotion. It was automatic -- like, do it and then go."

Stay tuned for an announcement on Dirkschneider's dates for his Accept Farewell Tour.